Social media systems and methods and mobile devices therefor

ABSTRACT

Methods, systems, and mobile devices for providing users with social media-related information about other users based on the relative geographic locations of the users.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 17/166,679, filed Feb. 3, 2021, entitled “SocialMedia Systems and Methods and Mobile Devices Therefor,” which is acontinuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/989,713,filed Oct. 10, 2020, entitled “Social Media Systems and Methods andMobile Devices Therefor,” which is a continuation application of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 15/696,803, filed Sep. 6, 2017, entitled“Social Media Systems and Methods and Mobile Devices Therefor,” each ofwhich are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. Thisapplication also claims the benefit of priority of U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 62/383,813, filed Sep. 6, 2016, entitled“Social Media Systems and Method,” which application is incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/989,348, filed on Aug. 10, 2020, entitled “Social Media Systems andMethods and Mobile Devices Therefor.”

BACKGROUND

The present invention generally relates to social media platforms,systems, and methods. The invention particularly relates to a systemutilizing handheld electronic mobile devices and application software(app) running thereon to enable a user thereof to initiate directperson-to-person communications and social interactions with other userswho are physically or virtually located within the physical vicinity ofthe initiating user, but with whom the initiating user may beunacquainted.

Various social media tools, such as websites and mobile apps, areavailable that provide users with the capability of exchanginginformation, particularly user generated content such as text, digitalphoto, or digital video posts. An example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.9,743,244 to Crutchfield. Commonly, such tools allow users to createtheir own profiles, which is included in an online social network thatconnects the user's profile with those of other individuals and/orgroups. Such tools generally promote interactions between the userswithin the network, such as commenting on other user's content, joiningvirtual groups, and the like. While these capabilities are beneficialfor users to remain in contact with other users that they are alreadyacquainted with, the tools may be limited in their ability to connectand exchange information between users that are strangers or otherwisenot yet socially acquainted. A such, it would be desirable if a systemwere available for selectively providing a user with socialmedia-related information about other users with whom they areunacquainted to promote direct person-to-person communications andsocial interactions.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present invention provides methods and systems suitable forselectively providing a user with social media-related information aboutother users based on the geographic location of the user relative to theother users.

In one implementation, a method for the interaction of a plurality ofusers of a social media environment via one or more mobile devices ofthe plurality of users is provided. The method includes presenting aprofile representation display graphic to each of a plurality of usersof a social media environment via a corresponding one of the one or moremobile devices, the profile representation graphic having a plurality ofuser selectable regions, each user selectable region representing aprofile question, each profile question having a predetermined set ofprofile question answers; receiving from each of the plurality of usersvia the corresponding one of the one or more mobile devices a selectionof one or more chosen regions of the plurality of user selectableregions; for each of the one or more chosen regions chosen by thecorresponding one of the plurality of users, displaying via thecorresponding one of the one or more mobile devices the correspondingprofile question and the corresponding set of profile question answersfor the chosen region, each of the profile questions having associatedtherewith a question color, each of the profile question answers for thecorresponding profile question having associated therewith a differentshade of the corresponding question color; receiving selections of thedisplayed profile question answers to profile questions for the one ormore chosen regions of each of the plurality of users; for each of theplurality of users, creating in the social media environment amulticolor profile displayable graphic based on the profilerepresentation display graphic and the corresponding user's profilequestion answers, the multicolor profile displayable graphic includingan answer display region corresponding to each of the plurality of userselectable regions of the profile representation display graphic,wherein each of the answer display regions displayed in the multicolorprofile displayable graphic that corresponds to the one or more chosenregions for the corresponding user includes the shade of question colorcorresponding to the selected profile question answer by thecorresponding user for the corresponding one or more chosen regions;displaying the multicolor profile displayable graphic for correspondingto a first user of the plurality of users to the first user via thefirst user's mobile device; matching the first user to a second user ofthe plurality of users based on a percentage match of (a) the multicolorprofile displayable graphic of the first user to the multicolor profiledisplayable graphic of the second user or (b) the selected profilequestion answers of the first user to the selected profile questionanswers of the second user; and in response to said matching, displayingto the first user via the first user's mobile device: (a) the multicolorprofile displayable graphic of the second user and/or (b) a content itemof the second user, the content item posted to the social mediaenvironment.

In another implementation, a method for the interaction of a pluralityof users of a social media environment via one or more mobile devices ofthe plurality of users is provided. The method includes presenting aprofile representation display graphic to each of a plurality of usersof a social media environment via a corresponding one of the one or moremobile devices, the profile representation graphic having a plurality ofuser selectable regions, each user selectable region representing aprofile question, each profile question having a predetermined set ofprofile question answers; receiving from each of the plurality of usersvia the corresponding one of the one or more mobile devices a selectionof one or more chosen regions of the plurality of user selectableregions; for each of the one or more chosen regions chosen by thecorresponding one of the plurality of users, displaying via thecorresponding one of the one or more mobile devices the correspondingprofile question and the corresponding set of profile question answersfor the chosen region, each of the profile questions having associatedtherewith a question color, each of the profile question answers for thecorresponding profile question having associated therewith a differentshade of the corresponding question color; receiving selections of thedisplayed profile question answers to profile questions for the one ormore chosen regions of each of the plurality of users; for each of theplurality of users, creating in the social media environment amulticolor profile displayable graphic based on the profilerepresentation display graphic and the corresponding user's profilequestion answers, the multicolor profile displayable graphic includingan answer display region corresponding to each of the plurality of userselectable regions of the profile representation display graphic,wherein each of the answer display regions displayed in the multicolorprofile displayable graphic that corresponds to the one or more chosenregions for the corresponding user includes the shade of question colorcorresponding to the selected profile question answer by thecorresponding user for the corresponding one or more chosen regions;displaying the multicolor profile displayable graphic for correspondingto a first user of the plurality of users to the first user via thefirst user's mobile device; matching the first user to a second user ofthe plurality of users based on a percentage match of (a) the multicolorprofile displayable graphic of the first user to the multicolor profiledisplayable graphic of the second user or (b) the selected profilequestion answers of the first user to the selected profile questionanswers of the second user; and in response to said matching, displayingto the first user via the first user's mobile device: (a) the multicolorprofile displayable graphic of the second user and/or (b) a content itemof the second user, the content item posted to the social mediaenvironment, wherein said displaying to the first user further comprisesdisplaying to the first user an augmented reality user interface of thesocial media environment, the augmented reality user interface via thefirst user's mobile device, the augmented reality user interfaceincluding: a display of the proximity of a first geographic location,the display of the first geographic location obtained via a cameraelement of the first user's mobile device; and a display of a firstvirtual object representing the content item of the second user or adisplay of a second virtual object representing the second user, saidmatching of the first user and second user being based on the proximityof the first user to the first geographic location.

In yet another implementation, a machine-readable hardware storagemedium including machine-executable instructions for performing a methodof interaction of a plurality of users of a social media environment viaone or more mobile devices of the plurality of users is provide. Theinstructions include a set of instructions for presenting a profilerepresentation display graphic to each of a plurality of users of asocial media environment via a corresponding one of the one or moremobile devices, the profile representation graphic having a plurality ofuser selectable regions, each user selectable region representing aprofile question, each profile question having a predetermined set ofprofile question answers; a set of instructions for receiving from eachof the plurality of users via the corresponding one of the one or moremobile devices a selection of one or more chosen regions of theplurality of user selectable regions; a set of instructions fordisplaying via the corresponding one of the one or more mobile devices,for each of the one or more chosen regions chosen by the correspondingone of the plurality of users, the corresponding profile question andthe corresponding set of profile question answers for the chosen region,each of the profile questions having associated therewith a questioncolor, each of the profile question answers for the correspondingprofile question having associated therewith a different shade of thecorresponding question color; a set of instructions for receivingselections of the displayed profile question answers to profilequestions for the one or more chosen regions of each of the plurality ofusers; for each of the plurality of users, a set of instructions forcreating in the social media environment a multicolor profiledisplayable graphic based on the profile representation display graphicand the corresponding user's profile question answers, the multicolorprofile displayable graphic including an answer display regioncorresponding to each of the plurality of user selectable regions of theprofile representation display graphic, wherein each of the answerdisplay regions displayed in the multicolor profile displayable graphicthat corresponds to the one or more chosen regions for the correspondinguser includes the shade of question color corresponding to the selectedprofile question answer by the corresponding user for the correspondingone or more chosen regions; a set of instructions for displaying themulticolor profile displayable graphic for corresponding to a first userof the plurality of users to the first user via the first user's mobiledevice; a set of instructions for matching the first user to a seconduser of the plurality of users based on a percentage match of (a) themulticolor profile displayable graphic of the first user to themulticolor profile displayable graphic of the second user or (b) theselected profile question answers of the first user to the selectedprofile question answers of the second user; and a set of instructionsfor displaying to the first user via the first user's mobile device, inresponse to said matching: (a) the multicolor profile displayablegraphic of the second user and/or (b) a content item of the second user,the content item posted to the social media environment.

According to one aspect of the invention, a social media system andmethod are provided that include the use of mobile devices to providethe capability for a plurality of individuals to communicate through alocation-based augmented reality feature of an app that is stored andoperating on the mobile devices.

Another aspect of the invention is a mobile device on which the app andits location-based augmented reality feature are stored and operating asdescribed above.

Still another aspect of the invention includes providing for a firstuser of a social media system to pin user content to a specificgeographic location using a location-based augmented reality feature ofan app that is stored and operating on a mobile device of the firstuser, and allowing a second user of the social media system to accessthe user content through the location-based augmented reality feature ofthe app that is also stored and operating on a mobile device of thesecond user.

Yet another aspect of the invention includes identifying a first user ofa social media system with a location-based augmented reality feature ofan app that is stored and operating on a mobile device of a second userof the social media system, and then with the app providing the seconduser access to user content created by the first user.

Technical effects of the methods and systems described above preferablyinclude the capability of a first individual to quickly access limiteduser content about another individual who is physically or virtuallylocated within the physical vicinity of the first individual's presentgeographic location, thereby promoting direct person-to-personcommunications and social interactions between individuals.

Other aspects and advantages of this invention will be furtherappreciated from the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed incolor. Copies of this patent or patent application publication withcolor drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and paymentof the necessary fee.

FIG. 1 represents a main menu displayed on a display of a handheldelectronic mobile device (cellular phone) by a computer applicationsoftware (app) operating on the mobile device, wherein various featuresof the app are displayed on the mobile device in accordance with anonlimiting embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 represents user content created by a user of the app anddisplayed on the mobile device of FIG. 1 in accordance with anonlimiting embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 represents the display of the mobile device of FIG. 1 showing animage “pinned” to a geographic location by a user of the app andviewable by other users of the app via a location-based augmentedreality feature of the app that overlays the pinned image onto an imageof the geographical location captured by a camera of the mobile devicein accordance with a nonlimiting embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 represents the display of the mobile device of FIG. 1 showinguser content provided by a user of the app that becomes accessible byother users of the app upon viewing the image of FIG. 3 with thelocation-based augmented reality feature. Viewers can rate the image.

FIG. 5 represents the display of the mobile device of FIG. 1 showing animage provided by a user of the app and relating to a past socialgathering, pinned to a geographic location by the user, and viewable byother users of the app via a location-based augmented reality featurethat overlays the pinned image onto an image of the geographicallocation captured by a camera of the mobile device in accordance with anonlimiting embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 represents the display of the mobile device of FIG. 1 showinguser content provided by a user of the app that becomes accessible byother users of the app upon viewing the image of FIG. 5 with thelocation-based augmented reality feature. Viewers can comment and/orrate the image.

FIG. 7 represents the display of the mobile device of FIG. 1 showing animage captured by a camera of the mobile device, in which users of theapp are identified with the location-based augmented reality feature inaccordance with a nonlimiting embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 8 through 14 represent the display of the mobile device of FIG. 1showing steps that may be taken by a user to create “My C-Code” usercontent in accordance with a nonlimiting embodiment of the invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 through 14 represent images displayed on a display of a handheldelectronic mobile device (in the example, a cellular phone) by acomputer application software (“app”) operating on the mobile device. Asused herein, the term “mobile device” refers to any handheld electronicdevice capable of wirelessly communicating across a mobile network. Forthis purpose, such a mobile device will typically comprise volatile andnonvolatile (non transitory) memory (processor readable media), aprocessor for executing processor executable instructions stored on thenonvolatile memory, an input device, a display, a camera, a locationdevice, and a transceiver, and have the ability to generate an output,transmit the output to the mobile network via the transceiver, andreceive signals from the mobile network via the transceiver. Currentexamples of mobile devices include, but are not limited to, cellulartelephones, smart phones, tablets, personal digital assistants (PDAs),portable computers, etc. Processors, memory, transceivers, inputdevices, displays, cameras, and location devices capable of use inmobiles devices encompass a wide variety of electronic devices known inthe art as well as those yet to be developed. Memory used in mobiledevices of interest serve to store apps, operating systems, software,and/or logic, including the app operating on the mobile devicerepresented in FIGS. 1 through 14 . In this regard, processor executableinstructions of the app are stored in the nonvolatile memory of themobile device so that, when executed by a processor, the mobile deviceperforms operations described below in reference to FIGS. 1 through 14 .Input devices used in mobile devices of interest typically comprise aphysical or screen-generated keyboard. Location devices commonly foundin mobile devices of interest are typically GPS (Global PositioningSystem) receivers, though other geolocation technologies areforeseeable. Transceivers used in mobile devices of interest include butare not limited to cellular, GPRS, Bluetooth, and Wi Fi transceivers.

The mobile device represented in FIGS. 1 through 14 utilizes itstransceiver to communicate with a mobile network, which in combinationwith the app operating on the mobile device provide or otherwise performas a social media tool (hereinafter, “tool”) configured to promote thecommunication and exchange of information between multiple users of theapp based on their actual physical locations (“user locations”) asestablished by the geographic locations of the mobile devices of theusers, or their virtual locations (“pinned locations,” as describedherein below), both of which can be detected by cameras and locationdevices associated with their mobile devices. Although the tool isdescribed here in reference to certain images displayed by the appoperating on a cellular phone as shown in the drawings, it should beunderstood that the tool and its app may display additional or otherimages and thereby have additional or other visual appearances.Furthermore, the tool may utilize additional devices and their features,such as but not limited to servers, databases, wireless communicationdevices, GPS location device, etc., within the mobile network.

According to a particular aspect of the invention, the tool allows eachof its user to generate user-generated content (“user content”) thatincludes, but is not limited to, a personal profile containing limitedpersonal information about themselves. Such user content may then beselectively accessible (based on privacy settings set by the user) byother users of the tool via a location-based augmented reality featureof the app, but only when the other users are within the physicalvicinity (geographic area) of the user location of the user that createdthe user content, and/or within the physical vicinity (geographic area)of a pinned location that the user that created the user content hasassociated with their user content. As used herein, a pinned locationmeans a geographic location that has been selected by the user and towhich an image has been “pinned” by the user as a virtual object(hereinafter, “pinned image”), such that the user is present as avirtual object at the pinned location, but is not physically present atthe pinned location. In this manner, the tool provides a social mediaplatform by which direct person-to-person communications and socialinteractions can be initiated by a user (hereinafter, “initiating user”)of the system with another user (hereinafter, “recipient user”) of thesystem, but only if the initiating user is within the physical vicinityof the geographic location of the user location of the recipient user,and/or the pinned location of a pinned image of the recipient user.Conversely, such communications and interactions can only be initiatedbetween the initiating user and a recipient user if the user location ofthe recipient user and/or a pinned location of the recipient user iswithin the physical vicinity of the geographic location of theinitiating user. Detection of the recipient user or a pinned image ofthe recipient user can be performed with the camera of the initiatinguser's mobile device, operating in combination with the location-basedaugmented reality feature of the app to indicate the physical presenceof the recipient user or virtual presence (via a pinned image) of therecipient user. The process of discovering potential recipient users isinitiated by the initiating user scanning their surroundings with thecamera of their mobile device. If a pinned image is detected with thecamera, the location-based augmented reality feature displays the pinnedimage of the recipient user on the display of the mobile device of theinitiating user, with the pinned image being overlaid on the image ofthe real world captured by the camera. If an individual that appears inthe scan of the camera is a user of the tool (i.e., a recipient user),the location-based augmented reality feature displays a suitablenotification on the display of the mobile device of the initiating user,for example, a dot or other icon that appears above the head of therecipient user. The initiating user effectively initiates communicationsand interactions with the recipient user by then using the app to accessthe user content of the recipient user, for example, by clicking on anicon that the app associates with the recipient user and is shown on thedisplay of the initiating user's mobile device, as nonlimiting examples,the pinned image if the recipient user is virtually present or an iconappearing above the head of the recipient user if the recipient user isphysically present. Notably, the initiating user is not required to beacquainted with the receipt user in order to access the recipient user'suser content. On the other hand, the tool does not provide anynotifications regarding individuals that are not users of the tool, inwhich case there is no user content to be accessed. Furthermore, theprivacy settings of the tool set by users enable any user to choose tobe completely undetectable by the tool or choose to partially orcompletely block access to their user content by individuals oreveryone, as may be appropriate under certain social circumstances.Furthermore, the app preferably enables all users to select the distanceover which they may (as an initiating user) detect other users and overwhich other users may detect them (as a recipient user).

FIG. 1 represents a menu that provides a user with access to variousfeatures of the app. Such features may be generalized to a variety ofusers, or may be directed to a predetermined group of users. Forexample, FIGS. 1 through 14 represent a version of the app that isidentified as “TeepeedU” and generally intended to be of interest tousers who are members of a university, and therefore may be equippedwith certain features that may be particularly relevant to theirinterests. As nonlimiting examples, the menu in FIG. 1 includes featureslabeled as “Spot Selfie,” “Chill'n Post,” “Me,” “Carnac,” “FlashAntics,” and “Rate a Party.” The app may be equipped with additionalfeatures, for example, a “Safety” feature by which a user can sendmessages to friends, such as a request for a friend to meet or accompanythem, in which case the app enables the other users to track thephysical location of the user in response to receiving the message andthe user can alert the other users in the case of an emergency. As withapps and touch-screen displays commonly associated with mobile devices,these features preferably appear as icons or buttons (hereinafter,buttons) on the display and a user selects or activates a feature, forexample, by pressing, touching or swiping its corresponding button,causing a different image (“screen”) to be displayed (opened) on thedisplay of the mobile device.

FIGS. 2 through 14 provide nonlimiting examples of screens displayed byaccessing the features of the tool represented in FIG. 1 , or otherwiseaccessing a location-based augmented reality feature of the tool.

FIG. 2 represents the “Me” feature with which a user creates a personalprofile as part of the user's user content stored in the memory of theirmobile device. The screen displayed in FIG. 2 is indicative of what maybe shown on the display of the mobile device of the user that createdthe personal profile, and represents the type of user content that theuser (as a recipient user) may allow other users (initiating users) toaccess, depending on the privacy settings chosen by the recipient user.In a particular nonlimiting embodiment, the “Me” feature shows therecipient user's username if they are not acquainted with the initiatinguser, and shows the recipient user's real name if the recipient user hasalready included the initiating user in their group of friends on theapp. From this screen, the initiating user can send a friend request tothe recipient user. The recipient user can then accept or refuse thefriend request after reviewing the user content of the initiating user.

FIG. 3 represents the “Spot Selfie” feature which allows a user tocreate a pinned image from an image of themself, which the user can thenpin to a geographic location using the location-based augmented realityfeature of the tool, thereby creating a pinned location so that thepinned image can be accessed by other users in the physical vicinity ofthe pinned location. The screen displayed in FIG. 3 is indicative ofwhat may be shown on the display of the mobile device of an initiatinguser that has used their camera to scan the pinned location, and showsthe pinned image overlaid on an image of the real world captured by thecamera. The displayed pinned image constitutes what a recipient user mayallow other users (initiating users) to see, depending on the privacysettings chosen by the recipient user. As with FIG. 2 , the recipientuser's real name or username is shown depending on whether they arealready friends with the initiating user.

FIG. 4 represents additional information as part of a recipient user'suser content that can be accessed by other users (initiating users)after acquiring the pinned image of FIG. 3 on their mobile devices. Thescreen displayed in FIG. 4 is indicative of the user content of arecipient user that created the pinned image seen in FIG. 3 (and isvisible in the upper lefthand corner of FIG. 4 ), and that the recipientuser may allow other users (initiating users) to see, depending on theprivacy settings chosen by the recipient user. Optionally, initiatingusers are able to rate and/or comment on the pinned image. As with FIGS.2 and 3 , the recipient user's real name or username is shown dependingon whether they are already friends with the initiating user, and mayaccept or refuse a friend request of the initiating user after reviewingthe user content of the initiating user.

FIG. 5 represents the “Chill'n Post” feature which allows a user tocreate a pinned image from an image of a past or present socialgathering, which the user can then pin to a geographic location usingthe location-based augmented reality feature of the tool, therebycreating a pinned location so that the pinned image can be accessed byother users in the physical vicinity of the pinned location. The screendisplayed in FIG. 5 is indicative of what may be shown on the display ofthe mobile device of an initiating user that has used their camera toscan the pinned location, and shows the pinned image overlaid on animage of the real world captured by the camera. The displayed pinnedimage constitutes what a recipient user may allow other users(initiating users) to see, depending on the privacy settings chosen bythe recipient user. As with FIGS. 2 through 4 , the recipient user'sreal name or username is shown depending on whether they are alreadyfriends with the initiating user, and may accept or refuse a friendrequest of the initiating user after reviewing the user content of theinitiating user.

FIG. 6 represents additional information as part of a recipient user'suser content that can be accessed by other users (initiating users)after acquiring the pinned image of FIG. 5 on their mobile devices. Thescreen displayed in FIG. 6 is indicative of the user content of arecipient user that created the pinned image of FIG. 5 (and also visiblein FIG. 6 ), and that the recipient user may allow other users(initiating users) to see, depending on the privacy settings chosen bythe recipient user. Optionally, initiating users are able to rate and/orcomment on the pinned image. As before, the recipient user's real nameor username is shown depending on whether they are already friends withthe initiating user, and may accept or refuse a friend request of theinitiating user after reviewing the user content of the initiating user.

The “Carnac” feature is similar to the “Spot Selfie” and “Chill'n Post”features, except that by scanning a geographic area with the camera oftheir mobile device, an initiating user is able to detect the actualphysical presence of other users of the app. As previously noted, thelocation-based augmented reality feature of the app indicates thepresence of other users of the app on the display of the initiatinguser's mobile device, for example, as a result of the location-basedaugmented reality feature displaying a notification, such as profilepictures of the other users as shown in FIG. 7 , though other means ofnotification are also within the scope of the invention. Whether anotification of a particular recipient user appears on the display of aninitiating user will depend on the privacy settings chosen by thatrecipient user. Thereafter, the initiating user can use their mobiledevice to access the recipient user's user content, for example, bytapping on the profile picture of the user(s) of interest to theinitiating user.

The pinned images and user content displayed and represented in FIGS. 2through 7 may be stored locally in the memory of the recipient user'smobile device, stored remotely on a server of the mobile network, or acombination of both.

As evident from the above, the above features of the tool allowinitiating users to access the user content of recipient users with thelocation-based augmented reality feature of the tool. In FIG. 3 , animage of a user is superimposed over a physical, real world environmentas viewed through an imaging device (for example, a camera) on anotheruser's cellular (smart) phone (or other handheld electronic mobiledevice). Similarly, in FIG. 5 an image of a group of individuals issuperimposed over a physical location near where the image wasoriginally generated, as viewed by another user at a later time. In eachcase, the user has pinned the images to their respective geographiclocations, which are stored and identifiable on the basis of theirunique geographic (e.g., GPS) coordinates as detected by the locationdevice (e.g., GPS receiver) of the user's mobile device. Preferably, auser may access information about a second user by viewing the seconduser through a display of the first user's mobile device. If the seconduser has a mobile device running the app, the first user may be providedaccess to the second user's information as a result of the augmentedreality feature displaying a pinned image of the second user on thefirst user's mobile device.

Since various features of the app (for example, the Spot Selfie andChill'n Post features) provide for pinning an image or other usercontent (collectively, “pinned user content”) accessible by other usersin a geographic location, the app provides means for users (initiatingusers) to locate pinned user content of other users (recipient users).For example, the app may include means for identifying on a map thespecific geographic location of all available user content that has beenpinned and/or specific filtered user content. As a nonlimiting but morespecific example, the app may provide a search (radar) feature thatpresents a map to an initiating user with locations of pinned usercontent of potential recipient users highlighted on the map, forexample, using the GPS coordinates of the pinned user content, relativeto the location of the initiating user (for example, over an areaencompassing a predetermined distance around the initiating user, as setby the initiating user). The search feature may include filter optionsto limit the highlighted user content, for example, based on distance orcategory/type of user content. For example, the app may include filteroptions including “hanging out” which includes only pinned user contentthat is relatively near the physical location of the initiating user,“walking around” which includes a larger geographic area than “hangingout,” and “stadium” which includes all available pinned user contentregardless of location.

Referring again to FIG. 2 , a recipient user's information displayed onan initiating user's mobile device may include a visual display (labeledas “Me”) that is representative of the recipient user's personality,preferences, or other information. Preferably, the visual displayincludes what is identified in FIG. 2 as a “My C-Code,” comprising agrid of various colors with each color representing a trait, preference,intention, etc. of the recipient user. As such, the colors of the visualdisplay may be unique to the individual recipient user. As a nonlimitingexample, the visual display may be generated as a result of therecipient user having previously answered a series of questions, suchthat each color in the grid corresponds to one of the questions, and theshade of each color indicates the answer given by the recipient user tothe corresponding question. Preferably, the visual display is accessibleby other users (initiating users) in order to provide a quick summary ofthe recipient user's traits, preferences, intentions, etc. Additionalnonlimiting information regarding steps taken by a user to create theirMy C-Code is provided in FIGS. 8 through 14 .

Finally, the app may provide additional features such as theaforementioned “Safety,” “Flash Antics,” and “Rate a Party” features. Asan example, the Flash Antics feature may provide means by which aplurality of users in a vicinity of a geographic location are able tovote on an activity to be performed by the users at the geographiclocation, and the Rate a Party feature may provide means for labeling ageographic location where a social gathering is currently occurring, andrate the social gathering for viewing by other users.

In view of the above, the app provides various functions for selectivelyproviding an initiating user with social media-related information aboutother users with whom they may or may not be acquainted and who are intheir physical vicinity in order to promote direct person-to-personcommunications and social interactions. For example, in the case of twousers that are within a sufficiently small geographic area that enablesa first of the users to see the other, the first user may decide theywould like to know more about the second user. The first user may then,in the role of the initiating user, use the app in an attempt to accessinformation about the other user, who is now in the role of a recipientuser. Because the other person is also a user with user content thatincludes a personal profile that they created in the app, the initiatinguser may be provided with information about the recipient user containedin the personal profile of the recipient user. The information availableto the initiating user can be limited or even prevented by the recipientuser's privacy settings. For example, as represented in FIG. 2 , theinitiating user may be provided access to information such as therecipient user's name, picture, interests, hobbies, etc., as part oftheir personal profile. As shown in FIG. 2 , the initiating user isprovided with the recipient user's My C-Code, and by interpreting thecolors within the My C-Code, will be informed of the recipient user'sgeneral personality, interests, etc. Such information is intended toinform users of whether other users within their vicinity share commoninterests, and to otherwise promote direct person-to-personcommunications and social interactions. The app can also enable aninitiating user to search other users (for example, those displayed withthe Carnac feature) based on a percentage match to the initiating user'sMy C Code as calculated by the app. Such a capability can generate alist of users that can then be reviewed by the initiating user, who canthen send a friend request to those users with whom the initiating userwishes to become friends.

In addition to promoting direct person-to-person communications andsocial interactions between unacquainted individuals, the personalinformation and location of the users provides a mutually beneficialmarketing opportunity. In particular, the app preferably is capable ofidentifying businesses, products, events, etc., that may be relevant toan individual user based on the user's personality, interests,activities, etc., as indicated by the contents of their personal profileBased on this information, the app may then provide advertisements tothe user based on the user's preferences and the user's actual (GPS)location. The advertisements are effectively customized customerelectronic billboards, which the app may show as virtual objectsfloating in the augmented reality space displayed by the camera of theuser's mobile device. The user can then tap the billboard to obtain moreinformation about the advertised product. In addition, the app mayprovide feedback regarding the user's response to the advertisements.

While the invention has been described in terms of specific orparticular embodiments, it is apparent that other forms could be adoptedby one skilled in the art. For example, the tool and its features coulddiffer in appearance and construction from the embodiments describedherein and shown in the drawings, and the tool may operate on devicesother than those described herein. Accordingly, it should be understoodthat the invention is not limited to any embodiment described herein orillustrated in the drawings. It should also be understood that thephraseology and terminology employed above are for the purpose ofdescribing the disclosed embodiments, and do not necessarily serve aslimitations to the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of theinvention is to be limited only by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for the interaction of a plurality ofusers of a social media environment via one or more mobile devices ofthe plurality of users, the method comprising: presenting a profilerepresentation display graphic to each of a plurality of users of asocial media environment via a corresponding one of the one or moremobile devices, the profile representation graphic having a plurality ofuser selectable regions, each user selectable region representing aprofile question, each profile question having a predetermined set ofprofile question answers; receiving from each of the plurality of usersvia the corresponding one of the one or more mobile devices a selectionof one or more chosen regions of the plurality of user selectableregions; for each of the one or more chosen regions chosen by thecorresponding one of the plurality of users, displaying via thecorresponding one of the one or more mobile devices the correspondingprofile question and the corresponding set of profile question answersfor the chosen region, each of the profile questions having associatedtherewith a question color, each of the profile question answers for thecorresponding profile question having associated therewith a differentshade of the corresponding question color; receiving selections of thedisplayed profile question answers to profile questions for the one ormore chosen regions of each of the plurality of users; for each of theplurality of users, creating in the social media environment amulticolor profile displayable graphic based on the profilerepresentation display graphic and the corresponding user's profilequestion answers, the multicolor profile displayable graphic includingan answer display region corresponding to each of the plurality of userselectable regions of the profile representation display graphic,wherein each of the answer display regions displayed in the multicolorprofile displayable graphic that corresponds to the one or more chosenregions for the corresponding user includes the shade of question colorcorresponding to the selected profile question answer by thecorresponding user for the corresponding one or more chosen regions;displaying the multicolor profile displayable graphic corresponding to afirst user of the plurality of users to the first user via the firstuser's mobile device; matching the first user to a second user of theplurality of users based on a percentage match of (a) the multicolorprofile displayable graphic of the first user to the multicolor profiledisplayable graphic of the second user or (b) the selected profilequestion answers of the first user to the selected profile questionanswers of the second user; and in response to said matching, displayingto the first user via the first user's mobile device: (a) the multicolorprofile displayable graphic of the second user and/or (b) a content itemof the second user, the content item posted to the social mediaenvironment.
 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the multicolorprofile displayable graphic is a grid shaped graphic and each of theuser selectable regions is a square shaped region within a grid pattern.3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the second user sets withinthe social media environment using the first user's mobile device aprivacy setting for limiting the accessibility of the multicolor profiledisplayable graphic of the second user or the content item of the seconduser to other users of the plurality of users.
 4. A method according toclaim 3, wherein said matching is based on a search by the first user,the search being based on the percentage match.
 5. A method according toclaim 4, further comprising displaying to the first user a list of usersof the plurality of users based on said matching.
 6. A method accordingto claim 1, wherein said matching is based on a search by the firstuser, the search being based on the percentage match.
 7. A methodaccording to claim 1, wherein displaying the content item of the seconduser is via an augmented reality user interface of the social mediaenvironment, the augmented reality user interface being displayable viathe first user's mobile device and including a display of a proximity ofa first geographic location and a display of a first virtual objectrepresenting the content item of the second user, the display of theproximity of the first geographic location obtained via a camera elementof the first user's mobile device.
 8. A method according to claim 7,wherein the user content of the second user is pinned via the firstvirtual object to the first geographic location by the second user.
 9. Amethod according to claim 1, further comprising displaying to the firstuser an augmented reality user interface of the social mediaenvironment, the augmented reality user interface being displayable viathe first user's mobile device and including a display of a proximity ofa first geographic location and a display of a second virtual objectrepresenting the second user, the display of the proximity of the firstgeographic location obtained via a camera element of the first user'smobile device, the availability of the second virtual object based onsaid matching of the first user to the second user.
 10. A methodaccording to claim 9, wherein the second virtual object is selectable bythe first user via the augmented reality user interface to displayprofile information for the second user including the multicolor profiledisplayable graphic of the second user.
 11. A method according to claim1, wherein said displaying to the first user further comprisesdisplaying to the first user an augmented reality user interface of thesocial media environment, the augmented reality user interface via thefirst user's mobile device, the augmented reality user interfaceincluding: a display of a proximity of a first geographic location, thedisplay of the proximity of the first geographic location obtained via acamera element of the first user's mobile device; and a display of afirst virtual object representing the content item of the second user ora display of a second virtual object representing the second user, saidmatching of the first user and second user being based on the proximityof the first user to the first geographic location.
 12. A method for theinteraction of a plurality of users of a social media environment viaone or more mobile devices of the plurality of users, the methodcomprising: presenting a profile representation display graphic to eachof a plurality of users of a social media environment via acorresponding one of the one or more mobile devices, the profilerepresentation graphic having a plurality of user selectable regions,each user selectable region representing a profile question, eachprofile question having a predetermined set of profile question answers;receiving from each of the plurality of users via the corresponding oneof the one or more mobile devices a selection of one or more chosenregions of the plurality of user selectable regions; for each of the oneor more chosen regions chosen by the corresponding one of the pluralityof users, displaying via the corresponding one of the one or more mobiledevices the corresponding profile question and the corresponding set ofprofile question answers for the chosen region, each of the profilequestions having associated therewith a question color, each of theprofile question answers for the corresponding profile question havingassociated therewith a different shade of the corresponding questioncolor; receiving selections of the displayed profile question answers toprofile questions for the one or more chosen regions of each of theplurality of users; for each of the plurality of users, creating in thesocial media environment a multicolor profile displayable graphic basedon the profile representation display graphic and the correspondinguser's profile question answers, the multicolor profile displayablegraphic including an answer display region corresponding to each of theplurality of user selectable regions of the profile representationdisplay graphic, wherein each of the answer display regions displayed inthe multicolor profile displayable graphic that corresponds to the oneor more chosen regions for the corresponding user includes the shade ofquestion color corresponding to the selected profile question answer bythe corresponding user for the corresponding one or more chosen regions;displaying the multicolor profile displayable graphic corresponding to afirst user of the plurality of users to the first user via the firstuser's mobile device; matching the first user to a second user of theplurality of users based on a percentage match of (a) the multicolorprofile displayable graphic of the first user to the multicolor profiledisplayable graphic of the second user or (b) the selected profilequestion answers of the first user to the selected profile questionanswers of the second user; and in response to said matching, displayingto the first user via the first user's mobile device: (a) the multicolorprofile displayable graphic of the second user and/or (b) a content itemof the second user, the content item posted to the social mediaenvironment, wherein said displaying to the first user further comprisesdisplaying to the first user an augmented reality user interface of thesocial media environment, the augmented reality user interface via thefirst user's mobile device, the augmented reality user interfaceincluding: a display of a proximity of a first geographic location, thedisplay of the proximity of the first geographic location obtained via acamera element of the first user's mobile device; and a display of afirst virtual object representing the content item of the second user ora display of a second virtual object representing the second user, saidmatching of the first user and second user being based on the proximityof the first user to the first geographic location.
 13. A non-transitorymachine-readable hardware storage medium including machine-executableinstructions for performing a method of interaction of a plurality ofusers of a social media environment via one or more mobile devices ofthe plurality of users, the instructions comprising: a set ofinstructions for presenting a profile representation display graphic toeach of a plurality of users of a social media environment via acorresponding one of the one or more mobile devices, the profilerepresentation graphic having a plurality of user selectable regions,each user selectable region representing a profile question, eachprofile question having a predetermined set of profile question answers;a set of instructions for receiving from each of the plurality of usersvia the corresponding one of the one or more mobile devices a selectionof one or more chosen regions of the plurality of user selectableregions; a set of instructions for displaying via the corresponding oneof the one or more mobile devices, for each of the one or more chosenregions chosen by the corresponding one of the plurality of users, thecorresponding profile question and the corresponding set of profilequestion answers for the chosen region, each of the profile questionshaving associated therewith a question color, each of the profilequestion answers for the corresponding profile question havingassociated therewith a different shade of the corresponding questioncolor; a set of instructions for receiving selections of the displayedprofile question answers to profile questions for the one or more chosenregions of each of the plurality of users; for each of the plurality ofusers, a set of instructions for creating in the social mediaenvironment a multicolor profile displayable graphic based on theprofile representation display graphic and the corresponding user'sprofile question answers, the multicolor profile displayable graphicincluding an answer display region corresponding to each of theplurality of user selectable regions of the profile representationdisplay graphic, wherein each of the answer display regions displayed inthe multicolor profile displayable graphic that corresponds to the oneor more chosen regions for the corresponding user includes the shade ofquestion color corresponding to the selected profile question answer bythe corresponding user for the corresponding one or more chosen regions;a set of instructions for displaying the multicolor profile displayablegraphic corresponding to a first user of the plurality of users to thefirst user via the first user's mobile device; a set of instructions formatching the first user to a second user of the plurality of users basedon a percentage match of (a) the multicolor profile displayable graphicof the first user to the multicolor profile displayable graphic of thesecond user or (b) the selected profile question answers of the firstuser to the selected profile question answers of the second user; and aset of instructions for displaying to the first user via the firstuser's mobile device, in response to said matching: (a) the multicolorprofile displayable graphic of the second user and/or (b) a content itemof the second user, the content item posted to the social mediaenvironment.
 14. A non-transitory machine-readable hardware storagemedium according to claim 13, wherein the multicolor profile displayablegraphic is a grid shaped graphic and each of the user selectable regionsis a square shaped region within a grid pattern.
 15. A non-transitorymachine-readable hardware storage medium according to claim 13, a set ofinstructions for the second user to set within the social mediaenvironment using the first user's mobile device a privacy setting forlimiting the accessibility of the multicolor profile displayable graphicof the second user or the content item of the second user to other usersof the plurality of users.
 16. A non-transitory machine-readablehardware storage medium according to claim 15, wherein said matching isbased on a search by the first user, the search being based on thepercentage match.
 17. A non-transitory machine-readable hardware storagemedium according to claim 16, further comprising a set of instructionsfor displaying to the first user a list of users of the plurality ofusers based on said matching.
 18. A non-transitory machine-readablehardware storage medium according to claim 13, wherein said matching isbased on a search by the first user, the search being based on thepercentage match.
 19. A non-transitory machine-readable hardware storagemedium according to claim 13, further comprising a set of instructionsfor displaying the content item of the second user via an augmentedreality user interface of the social media environment, the augmentedreality user interface being displayable via the first user's mobiledevice and including a display of a proximity of a first geographiclocation and a display of a first virtual object representing thecontent item of the second user, the display of the proximity of thefirst geographic location obtained via a camera element of the firstuser's mobile device.
 20. A non-transitory machine-readable hardwarestorage medium according to claim 19, wherein the user content of thesecond user is pinned via the first virtual object to the firstgeographic location by the second user.
 21. A non-transitorymachine-readable hardware storage medium according to claim 13, furthercomprising a set of instructions for displaying to the first user anaugmented reality user interface of the social media environment, theaugmented reality user interface being displayable via the first user'smobile device and including a display of a proximity of a firstgeographic location and a display of a second virtual objectrepresenting the second user, the display of the proximity of the firstgeographic location obtained via a camera element of the first user'smobile device, the availability of the second virtual object based onsaid matching of the first user to the second user.
 22. A non-transitorymachine-readable hardware storage medium according to claim 21, whereinthe second virtual object is selectable by the first user via theaugmented reality user interface to display profile information for thesecond user including the multicolor profile displayable graphic of thesecond user.
 23. A non-transitory machine-readable hardware storagemedium according to claim 13, wherein said set of instructions fordisplaying to the first user further comprises a set of instructions fordisplaying to the first user an augmented reality user interface of thesocial media environment, the augmented reality user interface via thefirst user's mobile device, the augmented reality user interfaceincluding: a display of a proximity of a first geographic location, thedisplay of the proximity of the first geographic location obtained via acamera element of the first user's mobile device; and a display of afirst virtual object representing the content item of the second user ora display of a second virtual object representing the second user, saidmatching of the first user and second user being based on the proximityof the first user to the first geographic location.
 24. A methodaccording to claim 12, wherein the multicolor profile displayablegraphic is a grid shaped graphic and each of the user selectable regionsis a square shaped region within a grid pattern.
 25. A method accordingto claim 12, wherein the second user sets within the social mediaenvironment using the first user's mobile device a privacy setting forlimiting the accessibility of the multicolor profile displayable graphicof the second user or the content item of the second user to other usersof the plurality of users.
 26. A method according to claim 25, whereinsaid matching is based on a search by the first user, the search beingbased on the percentage match.
 27. A method according to claim 26,further comprising displaying to the first user a list of users of theplurality of users based on said matching.
 28. A method according toclaim 12, wherein said matching is based on a search by the first user,the search being based on the percentage match.
 29. A method accordingto claim 12, wherein the user content of the second user is pinned viathe first virtual object to the first geographic location by the seconduser.
 30. A method according to claim 12, the availability of the secondvirtual object based on said matching of the first user to the seconduser.